if I pick up a book, say a book about how to paint, and I call it the only book that teaches the way to paint?

Question

does that make it really the only way? of course not!

same with religion. there are so many ways to God, and it's not just one specific religion or beliefs.

there are so many ways to accomplish the same thing, why are there so many people who think that their ways should be other people's ways as well. that's not right.

CJ, since when did I become a Catholic? but then again, why am I not surprised of your mr-know-it-all attitude?

Answer 1

You are correct.

"Painting and salvation are two very different things."

Yes. Painting is real.

ADDENDUM

"If there were many ways to get to God, Jesus died for nothing."

Tough break, eh?

Answer 2

Dogma and doctrine function as regulative for a community. If most people inside the various paths believed that path was just one and many were just as good and such you would end up with the whole thing unraveling in a cultural orgy. The reason there are several ways that work is because they are time-tested and have maintained their integrity due to the preservation of their exclusive truth claims; if clerics and religious people believed that all paths were equally valid, their doctrines wuold stop serving as regulative for teh community and thus the path itself would fall apart. This is not a Christian argument, it is an anthropological, sociological, and psychological one.

As Aldous Huxley said, An open mind is fine - but NO lid?

The painting metaphor breaks down at this level - I know of no one raised to think one particular form of painting is THE right one that must be subscribed to by all people, much less how they would treat other painters and non-painters. But humans have succeeded as a social animal based on these kinds of links that hold our communities together. Postmodernism has brought the death of those communities for exactly this reason and the effect on us economically, emotionally, and physically have all been negative. I have no reason to think that in this open approach to thinking we have improved over what had already been naturally selected over thousands and thousands of years.

Answer 3

If you pick a book that teaches the way to paint you have to have a rule to if you want to learn about how to paint and the rule is you must understand what you read. So reading and understanding of painting language is the key to useful reading. God laws"key" can be found only in 3 holy books and each one is an update to the old laws and in that sense its one law.

Answer 4

How can everybody in this BIG world who talk different languages and in earlier times did not know that other people exist be held to ONE specific religion. Are we to say that OUR religion is more superior to anyone else's and that other people are just reading a book full of mythology? People have to choose their own route for themselves, when they die nobody is going to pick them up in a taxi and take them there. We all have the option to choose what we feel is best for ourselves. Others cannot make that choice for us.

Answer 5

You missed an important point: the book says that it is the only way to paint. It also says that if you claim to paint any other way that you are wrong and bad things will happen to you.

Answer 6

Humans are capable of painting, regardless of what a particular book teaches. You, are absolutely right,their are many gods, but only ONE Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God is a jealous God. Salvation is the greatest of God's plan. Many religion's don't preach Jesus is the only way to salvation. He died on the cross for YOU AND I. We, don't belong to ourselves. We were bought with a great price( BLOOD OF THE LAMB). THAT, TO ME MY FRIEND IS RIGHT

Answer 7

Some religions say there are many gods. Some say there is 1. Some religions say God was once a man. Some religions say that God has always existed.

They are not even trying to get to the same God!

Jesus said He was the only way.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

If there were many ways to get to God, Jesus died for nothing.

Answer 8

painting and god are two total different things. the only way to get to god is through jesus christ his son, whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. said so by god himself. what other ways can you get to god? since you are talking about books, i;m thinking you mean by reading the bible you get to god, but thats not true.

Answer 9

was the book published by a great artist? I think not. Your question contains no merit because no one thinks there is only one way to paint. As a child I learned that the best way to paint was finger paint. But when I grew up I put away childish things and got myself a paintbrush.

Christ said, "No man (or woman) comes to the Father except through me." He said it, that settles it, whether I believe it or not. No one can improve on that and no one can tell me that Christ was ever caught in a lie. So---that's that.

Answer 10

It is a complete set of thought. One says god exists, one says not exist. And then there are those that say show me first and then I will believe. I don't understand what you mean by accomplishing the same thing. What do you think we are trying to accomplish?

Answer 11

So many ways to God, eh? Then Christ wasn't serious when He said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me"? Religious pluralism is the curse of mankind.